I need an insulated coat for an alpine doe

DeerHaven · #1 12/08/06, 07:01 AM

Hi there,

I was just hoping someone could help me to find a place to purchase an insulated coat for my lone Alpine doe. We are having some very frigid temps (5 degrees f.) and i'm worried for her. I can only find kid coats where i'm looking.

Thanks for all your help in advance!

Paula

suzyhomemaker09 · #2 12/08/06, 07:44 AM

Not sure of any places that sell them but I recall seeing this link posted recently ...hope it helps..perhaps you could look for a sheep coat, they may be more common.

http://www2.localaccess.com/rockyrun/coat.htm

mpillow · #3 12/08/06, 08:29 AM

Does she have other goats to lay down with? And proper draft free shelter, hay and warm water? If so I wouldnt put a coat on her....I've used them on my girls at minus 30 and they hated them....so I just built dog houses for them in my barn with a piece of chipboard layed up to the wall and screwed triangular fashion |\ and they crawl in two to a house.

steff bugielski · #4 12/08/06, 08:48 AM

I made one out of a piece of woll I had. Cut a rectangle and put velcro around the chest, and two under the belly. I put it on an old doe this morning. She hates it but she is very thin and quite old.

DeerHaven · #5 12/08/06, 08:48 AM

She does have other goats to sleep with, but only two smaller boer females, who are sisters and tend to snuggle on their own. I'm afraid she is not laying close enough to them as she is the dominant female? Just my thought. Anyway, this morning when I went out to feed and water she was shivering when she came out of the hutch. It wasn't constant but i'm not sure that I want her to be that cold period. I'd like to try something to get her more comfortable with the climate as sometimes it goes down to -20 f.

Thanks for all your help so far,

Paula

DocM · #6 12/08/06, 09:12 AM

I make my own. They cost, at most, $10 and take about 1/2 an hour to make/

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=154294

Caprine Supply has them: (if link doesn't work, just go to caprine supply and search for coats)
http://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?p...50c30d157d93af

Sweet Goats · #7 12/08/06, 10:19 AM

Something else, you can do is go to a thrift store and get a XXL sweater and put that on her. I have gone to several web sites and bought foal blankets for mine. I have never needed to use it but I have it JUST INCASE. Aslo go to ebay and tryp in horse blanket. http://www.horseloverz.com/Weatherbe...pr-182885.html These guys ship really fast.
This is a nice blanket. If you don't know how to measure it. If not. Take a measuring tape. Measure from the middle of the chest to the middle of the tail. (going along the side).

DocM · #8 12/08/06, 10:22 AM

Yes, "people clothes" work in the pinch - you just have to tie up the extra in back.

mamakl · #9 12/08/06, 12:42 PM

One of my nubians was shivering in the bitter cold we had here last week. I tried "people clothes" on her, but she would have nothing to do with them. It's warmer here now, but I decided I never want to be the position again, of my goats being that cold and not having any blankets for them. So I cut up an old quilted bedspread and used Doc's pattern and am making each of my girls a blanket. The hardest part so far has been making the pattern fit right. (Nubians must have much bigger necks than La Manchas!) Once I got the pattern right it's only taking 30 minutes or so to stitch them up.

DeerHaven · #10 12/08/06, 02:11 PM

Thanks so much for all your good suggestions! I'll get to work on something tonight so hopefully my girl will be snuggly warm next time the temp drops!

Thanks again, Paula

DocM · #11 12/08/06, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamakl

The hardest part so far has been making the pattern fit right. (Nubians must have much bigger necks than La Manchas!) Once I got the pattern right it's only taking 30 minutes or so to stitch them up.

oooo, left out that important note... I usually "fit" the coat after I sew the front, before putting the bias tape on the edge. I leave plenty of neck because it's always tighter after putting the tape on.

dale anne · #12 12/08/06, 02:47 PM

walmart has a good selection of dog coats this time of year....I use to get large dog sweaters and coats for my pygmys...get 1 size bigger then you need cause they will shrink when washed...i even found a faux leather coat lined with faux lambs wool...I had the coolest looking goat in town lol....children coats also work in a pinch and can be found at local thrift shops!...dale anne

DeerHaven · #13 12/09/06, 02:28 PM

Well, last night was cold as well, but this morning she woke up much happier. I found out that our neighbor (dairy farmer) had a few extra insulated calf coats, and she let me borrow one! it fits her beautifully and she seems so much warmer. Thanks for all your advice, it has really helped.

Paula

manygoatsnmore · #14 12/09/06, 08:24 PM

Glad to hear you found a solution.

Something that worked for us and was cheap/easy, was to go to Goodwill and look for oversize quilted pillow shams. The ones that have room for the king size pillow, plus a 2" plus trim edge beyond that all the way around work well for our biggest Alpine doe. They are already the right size to drape over, then we sew up the front where it goes across the chest, leaving a neck hole. We use waistband type elastic to make leg bands to hold it on the hind legs. The pillow shams are 2.99 or less, and the elastic is less than $1 for enough to do several goat coats.

We used the Rocky Run pattern as a starting place for our easy coats. Pat is located not far from us and has some fabulous goats. In fact, one of our LaMancha bucks is from her herd. (She recently sold her LaManchas and only has Saanens and Boers now.)

Hope this helps someone.